The first three years of a child’s life are pivotal in their development. During the early stages they are dependent on us for food and comfort and stimulation through touch, sight and hearing. They begin to develop a sense of themselves and become social. As parents we are establishing our relationship with them. As they become toddlers they become more independent and learn to communicate their thoughts and feelings through words. They sing. They dance. They are becoming their own person and we are their first teacher. Our actions are as important as what we teach. The foundation we give our children during these years is the most critical.

Baby to PreK (and a wee bit more)

Here are some exceptional books for the "little ones." They are BIG, bold with color, tactile, great
for small motor skills, discerning shapes, learning ABCs, counting, math
concepts (to about age 7) and some that are just plain fun. Kid tested...always!

Twenty-six letters of the alphabet become 26 amazing alphabet alliterative tales. "Fancy feathered fashions were favored by Floyd's farm friends." Every picture, cleverly created in miniatures, will be a seek and find for the reader.
READ MORE

ABC Block Books:
26 Board Books in a Box! Build towers with board-book blocks! This box
of blocks is filled with 26 chunky little board books, one for each letter
of the alphabet. Each spread of the five-page minibooks displays a word
with corresponding picture. Child-sized to build a tower of words. ORDER
HERE

ANIMALIA by Grame
Base is perhaps the best Alphabet book ever written.
[Great tool for teaching aliteration]

Clever Idea. Includes one giant chalk and a chalkboard in back of book. Excellent hands-on
activity for learning the alphabet.
ORDER
HERE

Chris Raschka's alphabet is an experience in phonics. "Give me A is for Attitude and often says Ah." "Ow! O is for Ow! And O is for Oooooo! And O is for Oh!"
ORDER HERE

An Amazing ABC Safari for Preschoolers! Multiconcept book with over 100 creatures and plants from A to Z demonstrate action words, synonyms, opposites, and more. Young explorers are challenged to spot four plants or animals that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Twenty-three textures plus foils, flaps, pull tabs, and even a scratch-and-sniff scent add to the interactive surprises. Removable poster.
ORDER HERE

A VERY different alphabet book. Each letter of the alphabet is very cleaverly crafted from
the Bembo font. Children enjoy seek and find books and Bembo's Zoo puts
a new twist on both seek and find and the ABC books of which we are more
familiar.
ORDER
HERE

Simple, richly illustrated, bright format, with a letter and word on every page.
Toddler/PreK
ORDER HERE

This deluxe alphabet book features 120 pages of Andrew Zuckerman's breathtaking wildlife photography. From alligator to zebra, each featured animal boasts two striking studio portraits against a clean white background, offering a unique up-close view of the animal kingdom. Readers can flip to a helpful glossary in the back for extra information. From the sleek beauty of a smiling hippo to the powerful majesty of a roaring lion, this gorgeous new book is both a stunning work of art and a ferociously fun way for young animal-lovers to learn their ABCs.
Ages 3 up
ORDER HERE

Alphabeasts by Wallace Edwards
"C is for Cat, who reflects on itself" shows a siamese cat gazing into a mirror at the tiger staring back at him. "E is for elephant, on the right track" shows a circus elephant playing with a toy train.

Paddling of Ducks, A: Animals in Groups from A to Z by Marjorie Blain Parker [A wildly imaginative tour through a zany animal kingdom. Each group of animals is described using a collective noun (an army of ants, a skulk of foxes, a labor of moles, a herd of zebra, richly illustrated by Joseph Kelly.] Ages 3-7 (2010)

Alphabeasties: And Other Amazing Types by Sharon Werner

From an alligator made of aaa's to a zebra made of zzz's, the alphabeasties in this book are ingeniously built out of multiple typefaces. Highly recommended. Ages 4 up
ORDER@AMAZON

Bugs by the Numbers by Sharon Werner - These incredible insects are ingeniously engineered out of numerals. Each entry also includes fascinating numeric facts about its subject. It's an eye-catching and imaginative look at the insect world.] Ages 4 up.
DO NOT miss these books!

Sturdy Board
Book illustrated with brightly colored felt appliques, texture ,stitching
and buttons. It begins with a moose and ends with 20 mice, and searching
for the partially hidden orange cat in each illustration.
Guarantees success
even if a child can't count.
ORDER
HERE

Ages 3 and Up
Level 1 Subtracting

A bright and fun
way to learn subtraction. Tip and suggestions for parents in back of book.
ORDER
HERE

"Barn cat pays
no attention to the parade of crickets, swallows, puppies, and butterflies
from 1 to 10 that passes by. What is she looking for?"
ORDER
HERE

Garden insects,
from ten little black ants down to one tiny flea, cooperate in moving a
fallen cucumber. Includes a recipe for cucumber soup and factual information
about the insects.

TEN BIRDS (Ages 5-8) - A clever counting book and fable unlike any other. Ten birds are trying to figure out how to get to the other side of the river. The bird they call "Brilliant" devises a pair of stilts. The bird they call "Highly Satisfactory" engineers a raft. One by one, nine resourceful birds make the crossing until a single bird is left behind—the one they call "Needs Improvement." This bird's solution proves surprising—and absurdly simple. More than a counting book, Ten Birds is a witty story that highlights ingenuity, common sense and the inadequacies of labels.

One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab [The book begins with a snail's one foot, and then moves on to 2 for humans, 4 for dogs, 6 for insects, 8 for spiders, and 10 for crabs. Each odd number is represented by the even-numbered animal plus one snail. After 10, the numbers go by 10s to 100, with the number shown in two ways, for example: "70 is seven crabs- or ten insects and a crab. 80 is eight crabs- or ten spiders."]

Count On Culebra: Go from 1 to 10 in Spanish [When Iguana stubs her toe, Doctor Culebra comes to the rescue. But his suggestions sound a little loco to everyne else. How will tying un rolling pin and dos kettles to Iguana's tail make her better? And more importantly, will Iguana feel well enough to make her cactus butter dulces?]

This is a book that truly has to be seen to be appreciated. Each spread features a different shape (square, circle, star, triangle, rectangle) that has been cleverly paper-engineered to form spectacular sculptures. Readers are invited to find and count as many items as they can per spread-shapes within shapes, shapes of different colors, and so on. Whether readers search and count or not, the beautiful paper sculptures will be admired by all who see them. This is a book like no other and belongs on everyone's home bookshelf. Beautiful to look at but also fiendishly difficult to work out.
ORDER HERE

Guinea Pigs Add Up (Ages PreK-Gr.2) - a rhyming picture book about classroom pets that weaves in addition, subtraction, and multiplication.

Ages 2-1/2 and
Up
Finding triangle
shapes in the home with tips for reading and sharing.
ORDER
HERE

Illustrates that
geometric forms can be found in everything that surrounds us. Vivid geometric
illustrations on black background.
ORDER
HERE

Baby Einstein: Shape Sorter Set - Ages 9 Months and Up - This colorful boxed set houses nine shaped board books that will help little ones learn all about shapes. Die-cut slots on the box invite little ones to sort and match the shapes to the slot with the same shape. Each shaped board book features photos of real-life triangular, circular, and square objects familiar to a young child’s world. Kid tested!

Begin Smart: What Shapes Do You See? (Ages 2-3)
This is a circle. It is round. What's shaped like a circle?
This is a square. It has four sides. What's shaped like a square?Repeats for rectangle, triangle with examples of other similar shapes. Ends with a two-page spread with all the shapes (street scene). Find the shapes... (Board Book) (2010)

ELEPHANT Elephant: A Book of Opposites
by Francisco Pittau and Bernadette Gervais

Big and small, square and round, clean and dirty, solid and liquid-a playful pair of pachyderms takes on all kinds of unexpected and humorous forms to illustrate a wide variety of opposites. Young readers will enjoy following the creative contrasts and transformations of the elephant duo, while older ones will appreciate the whimsical artwork, offbeat comedy, and unique design of the book.
Perhaps the single best book of opposites on the market today!
--Abrams Books for Young Readers
ORDER@AMAZON

Looking for other good opposites books?
BLACK? WHITE? DAY? NIGHT?What's Up, Duck? (Board Book) - a delightful book for emerging readers to begin to understand the basics in opposites. Duck and Goose contrast opposites in an enchanting way.
Opposnakes: A Lift-the-Flap Book About Opposites - Swing open the giant double-flaps over each adorable snake to reveal which extra-long oppo-snake is waiting for them. This book features simple opposites such as clean to dirty, quiet to loud, hot to cold, and a grand finale of one lonely snake becoming lots and lots of snakes having a party! (Ages 3-6)

EVERYTHING IN ONE BOOK

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The Complete book of concenpts for growing minds
by Saxton Freymann

The authors of HOW ARE YOU PEELING? serve up a cornucopia of concepts in this big book for brilliant babies. Shapes: Is that a carrot, or a triangle? Colors: Watch for peppers in every range of the rainbow. Numbers: A zero-to-ten zoo! ABCs: A full produce section of sculptures acts out the alphabet. And Opposites: You've never seen Up/Down and Big/Little like this before! Every time we think Saxton Freymann can do no more with bok choy or broccoli, he astonishes us all over again. And this book is one-stop shopping for all parents' early-childhood education needs. (shapes, colors, numbers, letters and opposites) Great Pictures. Great Fun!
ORDER@AMAZON

WORKBOOKS FOR KIDS 4 TO 6

Five Little Monkeys Jump into Learning Boxed Set
Your favorite monkeys will have a field day with this all-monkey, all-the-time, science and math kit for young children. Each kit contains two stories in one paperback (Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed and Five Little Monkeys Go Shopping), two 32-page original workbooks (Five Little Monkeys Jump into Math and Five Little Monkeys Jump into Science), a spiral-bound nature field journal, sticker sheets, a poster, a tanagram shape set, a CD with an original story recording, a certificate of achievement, and an envelope for those pesky loose items. Hours of hands-on learning!
order@Amazon

There are all sorts of things independent children can do --dress, undress, button, zip,
scrub, rub, paint, and write--all by themselves.
ORDER
HERE

A good way to allow your child to express their feelings and know it is OK.
"No matter how you feel, don't keep your feeings to yourself. Share them with someone
you love." ORDER
HERE

A charming tale of Little Guinea Pig and the blossoming of his independence while at preschool. Celebrates accomplishments and offers toddlers a glimpse into the activities and a teacher's expectations while at preschool.
ORDER HERE

Princess Tea: Parties and Treats for Little Girls
Party-planning parents of their own little princesses can pull together nine different enchanting tea parties. Vibrant color photos provide inspiration, and brief instructions make simple crafts, decorations, and dainty edibles easy for anyone to accomplish. From Lotus Princess Tea to Cowgirl Princess Tea, each themed party is paired with recipes for tea, snacks, and dessert. Fairy Princesses can make their own magic wands, while Underwater Princesses feast on Buttered Sea Shells.
ORDER@AMAZON

Honest Pretzels: And 64 Other Amazing Recipes for Kids Who Love to Cook (10th Anniversary Paperback Edition) (Ages 8 up) - Are you a kid? Then this book was written especially for you. With it, you can become a fantastic cook and amaze your friends with PITA SPIRALS and CREAMY CORN SOUP or CINNAMON SWIRL STICKY BUNS and BEST HOT CHOCOLATE. Or you can fill your lunch bag with a wedge of SPAGHETTI PIE, a serving of MAPLE YOGURT FRUIT DIP, and a handful of HONEST PRETZELS that you made yourself. Are you a grown-up? In these pages she speaks directly to children through fully kid-tested, illustrated recipes that require only a little adult assistance. It's not just a cookbook full of yummy recipes—it also gives young cooks, ages eight and up, a chance to practice reading, math, and logic skills. ORDER@AMAZON

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod by Eugene W. Field, illustrated by David McPhail - Perhaps one of the best bedtime rhymes ever written, this 19th century favorite takes children on a magical journey into the night sky--where the three fishermen sail in a wooden shoe, capturing stars in nets of silver and gold and laughing along with the moon. Also by David McPhail, Sisters [a celebration of sisterhood].
RAINDROPS: A Shower of Colors by Chieu Anh Urban, illustrated by Viviana Garafoli- This very simple, beautiful, and innovative concept book shows children how primary colors magically blend to create secondary ones. Die-cut raindrops with a see-through shaded acetate appear throughout; when the acetates are layered on top of each other, a new color emerges! So it’s easy to see—and understand—how blue and red make purple; red and yellow make orange; blue and yellow make green . . . . and how, all together, they create a gorgeous rainbow!
Bringing Down the Moon by Jonathan Emmett
Mole is so taken with the beauty of the moon that he tries to get it from the sky, but eventually learns to appreciate it where it is.
Lola at the Library [On Tuesdays, spunky Lola and her mommy go to the library. Come with Lola on her favorite weekly trip in this celebration of books and the people who love them. Instill a love of books and libraries with this little treat.] Infant to PreSchooler.
Bear's New Friend by Karma Wilson [Eager to play in the fall leaves, Bear heads out to find his friend, Mouse, but is startled by clatter in a tree. Determined to find out who is making all the noise, Bear goes on a short journey, picking up all of his friends on the way, until he discovers a quite bashful owl whom he declares their NEW FRIEND!] (Ages 3-5)

Maisy's Dual-language Books (see Bilingual section)
Maisy's Street by Lucy Cousins [Accordion book with over ten feet of lift-the-flap fun. Say hello to all the characters that she meets. Guess who lives inside the blue house? What is Doctor Duck up to? Can you imagine what’s inside Tallulah’s shopping bag? And what’s behind the flaps found on every page? Maisy lovers are guaranteed to pay many repeat visits to this bustling street full of new sights and familiar friends.
Baby Baby Baby! by Marilyn Janovitz [little baby does various activities with each member of the family and then it's time for bedtime hugs and kisses!]
When the World Is Ready for Bed [As the whole world gets ready for bed, so does an adorable bunny family—talking about the day, brushing teeth, closing curtains, sharing a story, hugs, kisses and saying prayers. Mom and Dad participate. Lovely book and a beautiful routine.]
Your Mommy Was Just Like You Pre K [An intergenerational delight. Kids love to hear about what their parents were like as children, and this celebration of moms and the little girls they were will inspire lots of laughter and memories.]
Won't You Be My Hugaroo? [celebrate all the kissable and huggable moments between little ones and their grown-ups. Catch-you hug, twirly hug, friendly hug, baby hug, off-we-go hug, tickle hug (a favorite) and many more. Ask your child what kind of hug they want.] Cute book.
Gossie & Friends Board Book Gift Set [Take a romp around the barnyard with Gossie and her friends. This charming set includes five unabridged board books and two double-sided puzzle tiles that are just right for the littlest gosling fans. It’s all packaged in a beautiful lidded gift box]
Jazzy in the Jungle [a lovable lemur loves to hide - in a big, lush picture book with die-cut surprises] Bright and fun. Kids will love this.
Peck, Peck, Peck [Today my daddy said to me, "It’s time you learned to peck a tree." Cousins introduces a woodpecker who is learning to peck. See just how he does it and how many holes he pecks. Brilliant color and illustration]

Begin Smart: Peek-a-Boo What? (12-18 months) - After a first birthday, a baby begins to understand that even when something isn’t in his sight, it still exists. He expects that a person or an object will reappear eventually—and when the anticipated finally happens, he’s delighted. This charming book, with flaps to lift and see-through die cuts, will help little ones solidify object permanence.

TACTILE

Amazing Pop-Up Trucks - How are car transporters loaded? Why do cement trucks have to hurry to the building site? What happens to your trash after the truck collects it from your house? Which is the biggest-ever monster truck? Do you know what a truck train is? Buckle up for a 3D, hands-on celebration of five of the most awesome trucks around from master paper engineer Robert Crowther. Each spread features: — A giant pop-up truck with moving parts —A description of what the truck can do —A photo showing the truck in real life —A fact file of cool details —Flaps revealing fascinating truck trivia!

Roadwork by Sally Sutton - PreK - Every preschooler who is mad for machines will revel in this bright, boisterous picture book about the exciting process of building a road. Load the dirt. Load the dirt. Scoop and swing and drop. Slam it down into the truck. Bump! Whump! Whop!" Last page has information on each truck. Very well done.
ORDER HERE

SCIENCE PLAY SERIES

Know the fastest way to cool off on a hot summer day?
You get wet!
Know what happens when you stay out in the rain?
You get wet!
But do you know how and why you get wet?
You will!
Ages: PreSchool-Grade 2
ORDER HERE

Ever lose your hat in a strong wind?
Ever feel the wind pushing you from side to side?
Know why you can feel the wind, but never see it?
You will!
Ages: PreSchool-Grade 2
ORDER HERE

Look in a mirror. Who do you see?
Your very own self, that's who!
Now look in a shiny doorknob or in a puddle.
Can you see yourself in them?
How about in the pages of this book?
Ages: PreSchool-Grade 2
ORDER HERE

Harvey's workshop is messy, so he decides to build a toolbox. It's hard work, but following plans makes it easier. Follow the carpentry process with an easy plan, and list of tools. Great way to introduce math/measurement to kids 4-6.
HARVEY THE CARPENTER

Harvey and his friend decide to bake a cake. They find the ingredients, mix the batter, bake the cake, clean up, and enjoy the creation. Harvey's cake recipe is in the back of the book. Ages 3-6
HARVEY THE BAKER

THE WHISTLE ON THE TRAIN by Margaret McNamara, Richard Egielski, Illustrator
Ages 2-5
Whoo whoo! to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus" with cartoon-like multidimensional pop-ups. Something new every time you read the book. Great fun.
ORDER@AMAZON

POTTY TRAINING BOOKS

Children will laugh aloud as they see a host of animals sit on the potty. Lift the flaps
and discover how they learn to sit on their potty too.
ORDER
MAX'S POTTYORDER
SARA'S POTTY

“Ma! there’s nothing to do here!” complains the precocious protagonist of this rhyming tale set entirely in utero. It’s not exactly a scintillating experience spending nine months in your mother’s womb. "What's a baby to do in a womb with no view?" "No puppies. No toys./ . . . Not a sandbox or swings . . . / Or those monkey bar things""You're set for me, right?"
This is a perfect baby shower gift!
ORDER HERE

The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster, Author of The Phantom Tollbooth. This is his first picture book. (2005)
The Hello, Goodbye Window (Illustrated by Chris Raschka)(2005) - This is a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild. The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy's house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it. Told in her voice, her story is both a voyage of discovery and a celebration of the commonplace wonders that define childhood, expressed as a joyful fusion of text with evocative and exuberant illustrations.The world for this little girl will soon grow larger and more complex, but never more enchanting or deeply felt. Winner of the 2006 Caldecott Medal
READ MORE OR ORDER@AMAZON

Sylvia Long's Mother Goose is an enchanting collection of over seventy-five classic Mother Goose rhymes. Imbued with the artist's love of nature and overflowing with charming details, this spectacular compilation includes such timeless favorites as "Old Mother Hubbarb," "Mary had a little lamb," and "Rock-a-bye baby." "Sylvia Long's Mother Goose" is a perfect gift that, like the rhymes themselves, will be passed from one generation to the next.
READ MORE OR ORDER@AMAZON

Celebrate 65 Years of Little Golden Books!
This Anniversary Collection features six of the most beloved Little Golden Books in one box set:
The Poky Little Puppy
Tootle
The Saggy Baggy Elephant
Tawny Scrawny Lion
Scuffy the Tugboat
The Shy Little Kitten
In also includes a free blank book inside so you can create your own Little Golden Book!
ORDER@AMAZON

These whimsical and hilarious books, featuring nontraditional texts and her famous animal characters, have been printed on thick board pages, and are sure to educate and entertain children of all ages.

SOMEDAYby Alison McGhee
A mother's love leads to a mother's dream -- every mother's dream -- for her child to live life to its fullest.
"One day I counted your fingers and kissed each one."
"Someday I will stand on this porch and watch your arms waving to me until I no longer see you."
A beautiful Mother/Daughter book

Mama Says: Book Of Love For Mothers And Sons by Rob D. Walker, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. [Gentle, but powerful life lessons spoken to a child, delivered with a mother's immutable love.] Gift for new mother, older son.

Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes - A refreshingly beautiful hand-picked collection of classic nursery rhymes, all delicately and painstakingly illustrated by Salley Mavor, who is reknown for her incredibly detailed fabric and cloth scenes.

The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee - From the moment the baby arrived, it was obvious that he was the boss. The boss baby is used to getting his way--drinks made to order 24/7, his private jet plane, and meetings around the clock. But when his demands aren't getting proper responses, he has to go to new lengths to achieve the attention he deserves. This book is cute, funny, and right on the mark (with adorable illustrations that perfectly depict the demands of a new baby). Wonderful shower gift.
There's Going to Be a Baby by John Burningham - the swirl of questions in the mind of a young child anticipating a baby sibling with excitement, curiosity, and just a bit of trepidation.
When the World Is Ready for Bed [As the whole world gets ready for bed, so does an adorable bunny family—talking about the day, brushing teeth, closing curtains, sharing a story, hugs, kisses and saying prayers. Mom and Dad participate. Lovely book and a beautiful routine.]

The House in the Night Board Book (by Caldecott Medal Winner Susan Marie Swanson) “In the house / burns a light. / In that light / rests a bed. On that bed / waits a book.” Susan Marie Swanson’s elegant prose and Beth Krommes’s spectacular illustrations open up a nighttime world where ordinary objects become beautifully illuminated. Images of a key, a toy, a bear, and a book leap from the pages as we’re reminded that even when night arrives, the sun’s warm light never truly leaves us.
A spare, patterned text and glowing pictures explore the origins of light that make a house a home in this bedtime book for young children.
Gideon by Olivier Dunrea - Meet Gideon, the newest addition to Olivier Dunrea’s gaggle of adorable goslings! Gideon likes to splash with the ducklings, hop with the frogs, play chase-the-piglets, and scamper all over the farmyard. But one thing busy Gideon does not want to do is take his nap, no matter how many times his mother asks . . . until he gets tired, of course.
Gideon & Otto by Olivier Dunrea - Otto is an octopus, and he’s Gideon’s favorite friend! Gideon has a favorite friend, his toy octopus. He brings Otto with him everywhere. But one day Otto doesn’t stay right where Gideon put him . . . In this second book about Gideon, we learn more about his sidekick, Otto, and their important bond.
Piggies in Pajamas by Michelle Meadows (Pre-K) - After Mama has put her kids to bed, she settles in to make some phone calls. But she keeps hearing things from upstairs. Could her little piggies be jumping on the bed or playing dress-up instead of sleeping? But every time Mama goes up to check on them, they are all tucked in…until the noises begin again!

Rocker Babies Wear JeansThis is so darn cute (and more for the parents).
These urban babies hit the high notes, star in videos, and shake their knit booties.
Only a parent can appreciate "Rocker babies go on the road" (mimic of Abbey Road Album cover).
Ages 1-3
ORDER HERE

The Sea of Bath by Bob Logan
Ages 2-5

The Captain was asleep at his boat...when the tide came in...

A sleepy old seafarer navigates a mysterious sea! Join him as he explores the curious sites on his voyage...
Ducks that squeak instead of quack...
A school of wind-up goldfish...
An eager whale hoping to play fetch...
And a odd vessel by the name of Soap!
Will the Captain ever learn what sea he sails in?
ORDER@AMAZON

-----------

If I Could Keep You Littleby Marianne Richmond
Ages All!
If I could keep you little,
I'd decide on matching clothes.
But then I'd miss you choosing
dots on top and stripes below

If I could keep you little
I'd cut your bread in shapes.
But then I'd miss you finding
"Hey! I like ketchup with my grapes!"